Sharifs asked to Establish Ownership of MFSL

The Supreme Court five-member bench continued hearing the Panamagate case on Friday for the third consecutive day. In his arguments Imran Khan’s lawyer Naeem Bukhari said that the London Flats actually belonged to Nawaz Sharif. He argued that the Benami flats were bought between 1993 and 1996 in Maryam Nawaz’s name. When the flats were bought Maryam was a minor, he said, adding that later a Benami Steel Mill was set up in Dubai. Bukhari said that Maryam Nawaz was beneficiary in the London flats, but that is just a hoax. Justice Azmat Saeed asked when was Maryam Nawaz made shareholder in the Chaudhry Sugar Mill. Bukhari replied that in 2011 the Prime Minister gave his daughter Rs37 million as a present. Bukhari explained that investigation agencies had asked Mossack Fonseca for details of the offshore companies. “They replied that the London flats had not been rented out. In fact they were in use by Maryam Nawaz and her family.” He added that the Samba Bank had confirmed that Maryam Nawaz was their account holder. Justice Asif Saeed Khosa cautioned the Sharif lawyers that if they were unable to establish ownership of Minerva Financial Services Limited (MFSL), the court would have to ‘imagine’ that what PTI lawyers claim is true. PTI has been trying to establish that Maryam Nawaz, and not her brother Hussain Nawaz as claimed by the party earlier, was the beneficial owner of Minerva which held Nescoll Limited and Nielson Enterprises Limited. PTI counsel Naeem Bokhari also submitted an interview given by Haroon Pasha, the prime minister’s financial adviser, as evidence in court. INP adds: Earlier Friday, PM Nawaz’s daughter Maryam Nawaz submitted reply in SC and denied accusations of being beneficial owner of offshore companies and flats but an authorized signatory as per trust deed. She said that Mayfair flats are owned by her brother Hussain Nawaz while she also termed documents pertaining to Nescol Company as forged. Maryam Nawaz said that her signatures on documents of Nescol Company are also fake. The reply further stated that shares of offshore companies were issued to Hussain Nawaz on July 4, 2006. She said that Hussain Nawaz informed about the offer of Al-Sani family in 2005 after which settlements were carried out in June 2016. Hussain Nawaz wanted to form trust about offshore companies which will allow Shariah distribution of assets after his death, she added. Maryam Nawaz also expressed dissatisfaction on email details provided in court as her opinion had not taken before dispatching the letter. My agricultural income was Rs 21.68 lac in 2012 which became Rs1.16 crore in 2016, the reply stated. She revealed to have taken Rs 22 lac loan from his father on June 30, 2010 and that five families are living in Jati Umra. One house is owned by my grandmother, second one is named after my father, third house belongs to my late uncle Abbas’s family, Shehbaz Sharif has occupied the fourth one whereas I am living in fifth house, the letter said. The court will resume hearing of the case on Monday.